Man, 56, hurls glass after teen, 14, refused to drink with him at Woodlands coffee shop
A 56-year-old man has been charged with criminal intimidation after he allegedly harassed a 14-year-old girl at a coffee shop in Woodlands and threw a glass in front of her when she refused to drink with him.
According to an anonymous post — apparently written by the girl’s mother — on the Complaint Singapore Facebook group, the family of five had visited a coffee shop at Block 167 Woodlands Street 11 at around 7pm on July 15.
While her 14-year-old daughter was alone at a table, a man who was “intoxicated” allegedly began harassing the girl and asked her to drink beer with him.
When the teenager refused, the man seemingly became “hostile” and started shouting vulgarities.
“Terrified, my daughter immediately stood up and walk away. Shockingly, as she tried to retreat, he violently threw a glass cup and a chair in her direction,” her mother wrote in the post, clarifying that she was not hurt by the shattered glass.
The woman recalled that the man “did not back down” even when her husband confronted him, and instead challenged the latter to a fight.
She added that staff members at the coffee shop had informed them that the man was a regular there, and that similar incidents had happened in the past.
“A 14-year-old child should be able to sit in a neighborhood eatery without fearing for her physical safety, and families shouldn’t have to deal with drunken brawlers,” she wrote.
Teen ‘appeared to be so frightened that she cried’: Stall assistant
When Shin Min Daily News visited the coffee shop on July 16, a 28-year-old assistant at a Western food stall, identified only as Hafiz (transliterated), said he saw the girl sitting alone before the man approached her.
He recalled that a commotion broke out shortly after, followed by the sound of breaking glass.
“The girl appeared to be so frightened that she cried. Police arrived shortly afterwards and arrested the man. He is a regular customer here,” Hafiz said.
Court documents identified the accused as 56-year-old Xie Jianzhong (transliteration).
According to the charge sheet, Xie allegedly picked up a glass mug and threw it onto the ground in front of the victim, intending to scare her when it shattered.
He has been charged with one count of criminal intimidation and was released on $5,000 bail. His case has been adjourned to July 31 for a further mention.
If convicted of criminal intimidation, he faces up to 10 years’ jail, a fine, or both.
Stomp has reached out to the coffee shop management for more information.
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